Parsnips
by WriterLiz88
Summary: Ginny Weasley can't eat parsnips anymore. Takes place a week after the final battle. If you read, please review. Thank you!


It had been a week since the final battle, and The Burrow, normally a lively, happy, loving place had turned into a place of sorrow and tears. Hermione and Harry had been asked to come to The Burrow, and they did, out of support, but both felt out of place. It had been a time of funerals; too many funerals. The worst had been Fred's, the day previous. Ginny, normally stoic, had silent but uncontrollable tears running down her face throughout the day. Ron had also been tearful. George couldn't cry, though, not until that night when Harry had heard him howl into his pillow. Bill, Charlie, and Percy, the eldest of the brother's, had tried to remain strong for the family, but did so unsuccessfully. It pained Harry see the devastation on Molly and Arthur's face, as they sobbed for their boy.

The night after the funeral, Molly tried to regain some normalcy, and was cooking dinner instead of making it magically, a thick, meaty, stew, with mashed parsnips.

"Here you go," she said, as she put it on the table, with a forced smile on her lips.

Ginny took one look at the parsnips, glanced at Percy, and bolted from the table. Percy looked down, knowing that Ginny was remembering what he was remembering. Molly looked confused.

"Should I?-" she started to say.

George was standing up at the table. "No, Mom. I've got this one," he said, as he weakly walked up the stairs. He felt tired, exhausted and completely drained, but knew what he had to do. He, as much an anyone, knew what the power of the parsnip entailed right now. George knocked on Ginny's room.

"Gin?" he asked. When he got no reply, he opened the door and walked in.

She was sitting on the bed, holding a picture of Fred. "I don't know whether to laugh or cry right now," she admitted, as George went to her bed and sat down beside her.

"I know the feeling." George allowed a small smile to cross his face.

"What was Mom thinking, serving parnsips?" Ginny asked. "Does she not remember what happened the last time we ate them?"

George laughed this time. "They ended up on Percy's glasses. I think she was trying to forget," he said, chuckling.

Ginny laughed too. "Boy, did Percy throw a fit. Fred's face was so gleeful when he walked out the door." Her voice softened, as she placed her head on George's shoulder. "I miss him," she said, her voice cracking. "I miss the way he would hug me goodnight, and let me in on your jokes..and he always believed in me, even though he would tease me.

"He was proud of you, you know. He loved his baby sister." George said. Ginny nodded. "I know.. and he loved his twin."

"I know, Gin." George said, kissing her head. "It's okay to miss him."

"Fred forgave Percy though, you know, before he.."

"He did. And Percy made him laugh," George replied. "You know us Weasley's. We may annoy each other, but we stick together through thick and thin. Percy came to his senses, and Fred didn't hold a grudge."

Ginny sighed. "How are we supposed to do this without him?"

"We just will," George said, although to be honest, he didn't know either.

"I don't think I can eat parnsips again," Ginny said.

"That's okay. I won't either. Fred would probably say parnsips don't belong in mouths anymore, they belong for throwing in people's eyes." George replied.

Ginny giggled. "We should probably go downstairs again."

George nodded, as the two siblings walked hand-in-hand downstairs.

They heard Percy's voice, as he was telling Harry, "Remember when the twins and Ginny threw parsnips at me?" Percy laughed a little "I sure deserved it then."

Ginny and George walked over to Percy and wrapped him wordlessly in a hug as they sat down on either side of him.

"Pass me the salad, please," Ginny said to Hermione. She caught a glance at Harry, who winked at her. They all too, had remembered the parsnip incident. Ginny felt then, as she looked at all the people in the room, that things might possibly get a little better. As long as she kept Fred's spirit alive and well in herself, things would be alright.


End file.
